Lancashire Police spent £2m on unmarked cars - second highest in country

LANCASHIRE Police spent more than £2million on unmarked police cars over the last three years, including expensive cars for senior officers, it can be revealed.

The force spent the second highest amount in the country, behind only West Midlands Police, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.

It has led to calls from the Taxpayers’ Alliance to axe the expensive run-arounds, which it says are for police chiefs and not catching criminals.

More than £600,000 was spent on 76 Vauxhall Corsas between April 2010 and March last year.

But single purchases of luxury cars were also made, including a Mercedes E Class, a BMW X5, and an Audi A6, all of which cost more than £30,000 each.

The Audi A6, which cost £36,538, has a V6 engine and a top speed of 130mph, and can travel for just 28 miles per gallon of fuel.

Other vehicles driven by officers and Lancashire Pol- ice employees included an Audi A3, A4, and A6, and a BMW 1 and a BMW K superbike.

The figures came just weeks after Police and Cr-ime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw asked East Lanc-ashire residents to consider a rise in council tax in a bid to tackle crime.

Crime detection rates in East Lancashire fell last year, with almost two-thirds of crimes reported to police going unsolved, figures showed.

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said the money spent on the cars could have been spent elsewhere.

He said: “The police bud-get should be spent fighting crime, not on performance cars used for nothing more than ferrying police chiefs around.

“Forces need suitable veh-icles for undercover work, but that’s not a reason to buy them for those spen-ding their life behind a desk.Axing flash run-arounds for police chiefs is a simple way to save taxpayers' mon-ey, while protecting front line policing.”

A spokeswoman for Lanc-ashire Police said: “Unm-arked vehicles are used by various departments, incl-uding major crime, CID and road policing.

“The vehicles also include pool cars, and chief officer cars, in addition to those used for covert enforcem-ent and surveillance.”

Pan-cake wrote:
Another FOI sourced news 'story', dressed up as professional journalism.
I hardly think Corsas should be considered an expensive runarounds.

Well I certainly would when they came to £600k at the expense of the tax payers.

[quote][p][bold]Pan-cake[/bold] wrote:
Another FOI sourced news 'story', dressed up as professional journalism.
I hardly think Corsas should be considered an expensive runarounds.[/p][/quote]Well I certainly would when they came to £600k at the expense of the tax payers.golazzo

Here we go again. police wasting money. They just haven't grasped the economic austerity that the public at large are facing. Our Police Commissioner is proposing to raise the Police precept in our rates and this is where some of it will be wasted. Not acceptable. They need to make cuts like the rest of the public sector..

Here we go again. police wasting money. They just haven't grasped the economic austerity that the public at large are facing. Our Police Commissioner is proposing to raise the Police precept in our rates and this is where some of it will be wasted. Not acceptable. They need to make cuts like the rest of the public sector..Lord_Lucan

Good. Most police cars should be unmarked, because too many people behave differently towards police officers when they see a police car and they shouldn't. We're all road users and deserve to be treated with respect. If idiots didn't know whether the driver they were abusing was a police officer or not they might just be a bit more careful.

Good. Most police cars should be unmarked, because too many people behave differently towards police officers when they see a police car and they shouldn't. We're all road users and deserve to be treated with respect. If idiots didn't know whether the driver they were abusing was a police officer or not they might just be a bit more careful.happycyclist

happycyclist wrote:
Good. Most police cars should be unmarked, because too many people behave differently towards police officers when they see a police car and they shouldn't. We're all road users and deserve to be treated with respect. If idiots didn't know whether the driver they were abusing was a police officer or not they might just be a bit more careful.

Agreed, just dont understand the E class?

[quote][p][bold]happycyclist[/bold] wrote:
Good. Most police cars should be unmarked, because too many people behave differently towards police officers when they see a police car and they shouldn't. We're all road users and deserve to be treated with respect. If idiots didn't know whether the driver they were abusing was a police officer or not they might just be a bit more careful.[/p][/quote]Agreed, just dont understand the E class?Openminded?

I'm beginning to wonder if Lancashire Constabulary have done something to offend the Lancashire Lazy Telegraph?

Recent Bobby Bashing articles include fitness tests, crime detection rates & sickness levels. Not one other similar story relating to any other emergency service or public sector department.

Fair enough if savings could be made with cheaper vehicles then they should. But when you get visiting VIP's who expect to be ferried around it top of the range motors who do you think pays for it?

Not only that, this masterpiece of investigative journalism stops with a simple FOI request which produces a sum of 600k.

Lancashire Police arrange courses for officers from other forces to attend. The nature of the course may necessitate the use of unmarked vehicles but the cost of hiring them is paid for by the fees they charge their students and not Lancashire residents.

A little more time researching a story might give a more balanced picture. But then again it would mean putting some effort in and why should they when it's much easier to try and kick up a s-/7 storm?

I'm beginning to wonder if Lancashire Constabulary have done something to offend the Lancashire Lazy Telegraph?
Recent Bobby Bashing articles include fitness tests, crime detection rates & sickness levels. Not one other similar story relating to any other emergency service or public sector department.
Fair enough if savings could be made with cheaper vehicles then they should. But when you get visiting VIP's who expect to be ferried around it top of the range motors who do you think pays for it?
Not only that, this masterpiece of investigative journalism stops with a simple FOI request which produces a sum of 600k.
Lancashire Police arrange courses for officers from other forces to attend. The nature of the course may necessitate the use of unmarked vehicles but the cost of hiring them is paid for by the fees they charge their students and not Lancashire residents.
A little more time researching a story might give a more balanced picture. But then again it would mean putting some effort in and why should they when it's much easier to try and kick up a s-/7 storm?Manuel Hung

shytalk wrote:
Why can't we comment on the traffic warden who was racially abused?

I've already asked the LT about freedom of speech, didn't get any answer!!

[quote][p][bold]shytalk[/bold] wrote:
Why can't we comment on the traffic warden who was racially abused?[/p][/quote]I've already asked the LT about freedom of speech, didn't get any answer!!Lancs - pensioner

shytalk wrote:
Why can't we comment on the traffic warden who was racially abused?

If it had been the other way round the offender would have got 2 years not a slam on the wrist so much for racial equality!

[quote][p][bold]shytalk[/bold] wrote:
Why can't we comment on the traffic warden who was racially abused?[/p][/quote]If it had been the other way round the offender would have got 2 years not a slam on the wrist so much for racial equality!mmickk

1 - Way back in , I think 1987 , I overtook an unmarked police car on a motorway . I had 95 on the speedo . Got the shock of my life when he suddenly put on blue lights in his radiator grill . Man did I get fined !!

Approx two weeks wages - It was a company car , funnily enough my boss wouldn't pay it for me !! Ouch , never had a point on my licence
since .

My own stupidity - I expect no sympathy .

2 - an idiot decided to pinpoint me for a bit of road rage from him .
Apparantly I hadn't dipped my lights fast enough ( I was driving behind him) ,

Now I am in trouble - he's going to hit me . Big bloke in a bad mood .

This was in Glasgow by the way .

A top-of-the-range Jaguar appeared out of nowhere - no he was behind me ......three enormous Police got out - idiot ended up in a Black-Maria .

So - 10/10 to unmarked Police Cars .

I got what I deserved - and was saved from a beating .

Give The Police whatever tools they need .

Well as usual happycyclist is correct .
Two stories for you all , good people .
1 - Way back in , I think 1987 , I overtook an unmarked police car on a motorway . I had 95 on the speedo . Got the shock of my life when he suddenly put on blue lights in his radiator grill . Man did I get fined !!
Approx two weeks wages - It was a company car , funnily enough my boss wouldn't pay it for me !! Ouch , never had a point on my licence
since .
My own stupidity - I expect no sympathy .
2 - an idiot decided to pinpoint me for a bit of road rage from him .
Apparantly I hadn't dipped my lights fast enough ( I was driving behind him) ,
Now I am in trouble - he's going to hit me . Big bloke in a bad mood .
This was in Glasgow by the way .
A top-of-the-range Jaguar appeared out of nowhere - no he was behind me ......three enormous Police got out - idiot ended up in a Black-Maria .
So - 10/10 to unmarked Police Cars .
I got what I deserved - and was saved from a beating .
Give The Police whatever tools they need .fireonthemountain

I was driving along the M602 - was overtaken by a VW GTI , driving at
well over 100mph . Yikes ! Moron !

Then an Audi overtook me , doing a speed I can only imagine .
Way , way over a ton . This car had a personalised number-plate by the way .

Yes , you guessed it , coupla miles later the Audi had pulled the VW .

You would never have thought the Audi was an unmarked police car .
Because of the personal number plate .

But it was .

Now that's clever .

Well done to the boys in blue .

OOh - story three !
Almost forgot .
I was driving along the M602 - was overtaken by a VW GTI , driving at
well over 100mph . Yikes ! Moron !
Then an Audi overtook me , doing a speed I can only imagine .
Way , way over a ton . This car had a personalised number-plate by the way .
Yes , you guessed it , coupla miles later the Audi had pulled the VW .
You would never have thought the Audi was an unmarked police car .
Because of the personal number plate .
But it was .
Now that's clever .
Well done to the boys in blue .fireonthemountain

Allegedly BMW had the lowest bid for the current tender of "panda" cars, beating the price of Hyundai i30 vs 1series (including maintenance). They chose Hyundai to make the public think they were spending less. Or public perception as they call it

Allegedly BMW had the lowest bid for the current tender of "panda" cars, beating the price of Hyundai i30 vs 1series (including maintenance). They chose Hyundai to make the public think they were spending less. Or public perception as they call itSogden

No problem with traffic cops having powerful unmarked cars. The problem is with fat cat senior officers having luxury cars to transport them from home to office and their meals out at rate payers expense.
I thought the police commissioners job was to improve the police force? Not feather nest it!

No problem with traffic cops having powerful unmarked cars. The problem is with fat cat senior officers having luxury cars to transport them from home to office and their meals out at rate payers expense.
I thought the police commissioners job was to improve the police force? Not feather nest it!A Darener

In my opinion, it's all very well LT using FOI requests in order to formulate stories to fill column inches, but they need to keep in mind that the Police are fighting the war on crime. And, as in any war, there are two sides. It won't matter too much for the low level crims, but you start giving away too much information and the more serious organised crime gangs might well be able to use that information to their own advantage.
Just a cautionary note LT, be careful what information you share with the enemy!

In my opinion, it's all very well LT using FOI requests in order to formulate stories to fill column inches, but they need to keep in mind that the Police are fighting the war on crime. And, as in any war, there are two sides. It won't matter too much for the low level crims, but you start giving away too much information and the more serious organised crime gangs might well be able to use that information to their own advantage.
Just a cautionary note LT, be careful what information you share with the enemy!HarryBosch

You get too many fat ex police officers who were able to retire at 50 on their excessively generous final salary pensions writing positive comments about the police on all of these LT FOI stories. Keep them coming LT the public need to know and police forces need to be reformed and become better value.

You get too many fat ex police officers who were able to retire at 50 on their excessively generous final salary pensions writing positive comments about the police on all of these LT FOI stories. Keep them coming LT the public need to know and police forces need to be reformed and become better value.Lord_Lucan

Lord_Lucan wrote:
Here we go again. police wasting money. They just haven't grasped the economic austerity that the public at large are facing. Our Police Commissioner is proposing to raise the Police precept in our rates and this is where some of it will be wasted. Not acceptable. They need to make cuts like the rest of the public sector..

And you'll be the one whinging and screaming like a big girl when there isn't a police officer to be found, I suppose? Typical lefty-liberal nonsense.

[quote][p][bold]Lord_Lucan[/bold] wrote:
Here we go again. police wasting money. They just haven't grasped the economic austerity that the public at large are facing. Our Police Commissioner is proposing to raise the Police precept in our rates and this is where some of it will be wasted. Not acceptable. They need to make cuts like the rest of the public sector..[/p][/quote]And you'll be the one whinging and screaming like a big girl when there isn't a police officer to be found, I suppose? Typical lefty-liberal nonsense.rudis_dad

Well - as stated above , I am certainly in favour of unmarked police
vehicles , many and varied .

I have however , to applaud a comment in one of today's newspapers .

Where someone stated that the best motoring aid fitted to a car,
an absolutely guarantee of careful and safe driving , is in fact ,
the rear view mirror .

With a marked Police Car in it .

Well - as stated above , I am certainly in favour of unmarked police
vehicles , many and varied .
I have however , to applaud a comment in one of today's newspapers .
Where someone stated that the best motoring aid fitted to a car,
an absolutely guarantee of careful and safe driving , is in fact ,
the rear view mirror .
With a marked Police Car in it .fireonthemountain

Lord_Lucan wrote:
You get too many fat ex police officers who were able to retire at 50 on their excessively generous final salary pensions writing positive comments about the police on all of these LT FOI stories. Keep them coming LT the public need to know and police forces need to be reformed and become better value.

At 50? At 48, with thirty years of service from the age of eighteen. I agree that the pension is excessively generous, though the pensioners have made 'generous' contributions from their pay. Yet the pay can be regarded as excessively generous, if you like, and so capable of absorbing such charges against the future. Many do like.

I confess that I am among those who benefit from such an excessively generous occupational pension, if anyone here cares a jot.

[quote][p][bold]Lord_Lucan[/bold] wrote:
You get too many fat ex police officers who were able to retire at 50 on their excessively generous final salary pensions writing positive comments about the police on all of these LT FOI stories. Keep them coming LT the public need to know and police forces need to be reformed and become better value.[/p][/quote]At 50? At 48, with thirty years of service from the age of eighteen. I agree that the pension is excessively generous, though the pensioners have made 'generous' contributions from their pay. Yet the pay can be regarded as excessively generous, if you like, and so capable of absorbing such charges against the future. Many do like.
I confess that I am among those who benefit from such an excessively generous occupational pension, if anyone here cares a jot.Graham Hartley

1 - Way back in , I think 1987 , I overtook an unmarked police car on a motorway . I had 95 on the speedo . Got the shock of my life when he suddenly put on blue lights in his radiator grill . Man did I get fined !!

Approx two weeks wages - It was a company car , funnily enough my boss wouldn't pay it for me !! Ouch , never had a point on my licence
since .

My own stupidity - I expect no sympathy .

2 - an idiot decided to pinpoint me for a bit of road rage from him .
Apparantly I hadn't dipped my lights fast enough ( I was driving behind him) ,

Now I am in trouble - he's going to hit me . Big bloke in a bad mood .

This was in Glasgow by the way .

A top-of-the-range Jaguar appeared out of nowhere - no he was behind me ......three enormous Police got out - idiot ended up in a Black-Maria .

So - 10/10 to unmarked Police Cars .

I got what I deserved - and was saved from a beating .

Give The Police whatever tools they need .

Thanks for the stories.

But 'give the police whatever tools they need'? Officers are pretty well tooled up, though few have guns. If the police tell us they all need guns, should we give without question? Some 130,000 officers would ideally be trained to the same skill level as the present 6.000 or so.

[quote][p][bold]fireonthemountain[/bold] wrote:
Well as usual happycyclist is correct .
Two stories for you all , good people .
1 - Way back in , I think 1987 , I overtook an unmarked police car on a motorway . I had 95 on the speedo . Got the shock of my life when he suddenly put on blue lights in his radiator grill . Man did I get fined !!
Approx two weeks wages - It was a company car , funnily enough my boss wouldn't pay it for me !! Ouch , never had a point on my licence
since .
My own stupidity - I expect no sympathy .
2 - an idiot decided to pinpoint me for a bit of road rage from him .
Apparantly I hadn't dipped my lights fast enough ( I was driving behind him) ,
Now I am in trouble - he's going to hit me . Big bloke in a bad mood .
This was in Glasgow by the way .
A top-of-the-range Jaguar appeared out of nowhere - no he was behind me ......three enormous Police got out - idiot ended up in a Black-Maria .
So - 10/10 to unmarked Police Cars .
I got what I deserved - and was saved from a beating .
Give The Police whatever tools they need .[/p][/quote]Thanks for the stories.
But 'give the police whatever tools they need'? Officers are pretty well tooled up, though few have guns. If the police tell us they all need guns, should we give without question? Some 130,000 officers would ideally be trained to the same skill level as the present 6.000 or so.Graham Hartley